Screen time for children and the use of AI has been a growing concern for families across the nation.  We have heard from our community too.  We at Cedar Park want to address the concerns of excessive screen time while acknowledging the ubiquitousness of screens and how we can strike an appropriate balance of screen time for our students and the role of AI in our world.

Screen Time:

Here at Cedar Park students will continue to engage in SPS adopted curricula, which have embedded components that may necessitate the use of student devices.  Many of the student resources can be used either digitally or we can print out a paper/pencil option.  That being said, there will be times that students will need to use student devices in nearly every content area (math, ELA, science, etc.).  As a staff we have agreed that we are limiting individual screen time use to curriculum embedded and educational purposes.  In other words, when the curriculum calls for it, we will use student devices.  Student devices will be used to access a broader range of reading and research materials than our classes or school library can hold.  We will not make time for students to pull out their district devices for any “choice” time activities that are unstructured and unmonitored.  All student device usage will be part of the lessons presented and/or to further student learning. 

There may be some occasions, such as a classroom earned party, where students vote on how they want to celebrate the class reward and they choose to watch a short video as a class.  In those cases, teachers will communicate with families about the party and what they are doing during that time.  Any videos watched would be communal (think like a family movie night) and classroom celebrations will not include individual, isolated screen time for students.  Our goal is to limit screen time to intentional and structured educational purposes only. 

AI:

Here at Cedar Park students will continue to receive lessons about good digital citizenship, which includes learning to be thoughtful and critical consumers of media, especially in the era of the growth of AI.  Students will learn about the existence of AI, how it is being used in the world, the benefits that many extol, and the problematic issues many report.  SPS does have AI tools available for student use starting in 3^rd grade.  As a staff, we have discussed the use of these AI tools and considered the feedback we have received from families and are making it our policy that these AI tools will not be used as part of our academic content areas. 

There may be some occasions when students are learning about AI where they may engage with the AI tools as part of AI learning specific lessons.  Such use will be monitored and limited.  There may be some occasions, such as a classroom earned party, where students vote on how they want to celebrate the class reward and they choose to make some digitally created art and ask if they may use the AI tools available to students.  Such use will be monitored and limited.  In those cases, teachers will communicate with families about the party and what they are doing during that time.  Our goal is for our students to be good digital citizens who are thoughtful and critical consumers of all media.